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Around the House · Plumbing
How to replace a faucet
The job itself is straightforward. The problem is access — you're working upside down inside a dark cabinet with your face two inches from a drain. Plan for the access problem and the rest is easy.
The Honest Read
What this job actually involves
Replacing a faucet is a parts-swap, not a plumbing job. You're disconnecting two supply lines and three or four mounting nuts, then putting it back together in reverse. The tricky part is reaching the nuts holding the old faucet to the sink — they're behind the basin, above your head, and usually corroded.
If you're upgrading to a pull-down or pull-out sprayer, double-check the hole configuration on your sink. Most kitchen sinks have 3 or 4 holes; most bathroom sinks have 1 or 3. Faucets are sold to match — but the deck plate matters too.
Buy the supply lines fresh. They're $8 each. The ones from 15 years ago are not what you want to put back on.
What you need
Tools & materials
Shop the supply side here. The big-ticket stuff and the brand-restricted items, we'll point you local further down.
Tools
- Basin wrench (the only tool for the mounting nuts)
- Adjustable wrench
- Channel-lock pliers
- Bucket and rags
- Headlamp (cabinet lighting matters)
- Phillips screwdriver
Materials
- New faucet (matched to your sink hole count)
- Two new braided stainless supply lines (sized to match)
- PTFE thread seal tape
- Plumber's putty or silicone (if the faucet doesn't come with a gasket)
- Shutoff valves (if existing are leaking or won't close)
The Steps
Step-by-step faucet swap
01
Shut off the water and drain the lines
Close both shutoff valves under the sink. Open the faucet to release pressure and let the lines drain into a bucket. If the shutoffs won't close or are weeping, this is the time to replace them — don't fight a leaky shutoff.
02
Disconnect the supply lines
Adjustable wrench on the supply nut at the shutoff. Loosen, unscrew by hand. Repeat for the other side. Have your bucket ready — there's always a cup or two of water still in the line.
03
Remove the old faucet
This is where the basin wrench earns its name. Reach up behind the basin, hook it on the mounting nut, and turn counterclockwise. If the nut won't budge, spray penetrating oil and wait 15 minutes. Pull the old faucet up and out from above.
04
Clean the deck
Old putty, mineral buildup, gasket residue — scrape it all off with a plastic putty knife (metal scratches the sink). The new gasket needs a clean surface.
05
Set the new faucet
Drop the supply lines and the threaded shanks through the mounting holes from above. Have someone hold the faucet level while you go back under and tighten the mounting hardware. Hand-tight first, then snug with the basin wrench. Don't crank.
06
Hook up supply lines and test
Connect supply lines to the shutoffs — PTFE tape on the threads, hand-tight plus a quarter turn. Turn the water on slowly. Open the faucet (remove the aerator first) and let it run for 30 seconds to flush debris. Reinstall the aerator. Check every joint for two minutes with a dry paper towel.
Try local first · We'll wait
Where local wins on faucets
Faucets are the perfect example of something that looks fine online and feels wrong in your hand. The weight, the feel of the lever, the actual finish — they all matter, and a picture doesn't show them.
- See and feel the finish in person — brushed nickel, matte black, and brushed gold look different in real light
- Heavier solid-brass faucets vs. thin pot-metal — you can tell the difference holding them
- Match the existing finish on your hardware (cabinet pulls, towel bars) without guessing
- Authorized dealer for the brands that require it — real warranties, real parts down the road
- Real expert advice on hole count, deck plates, and whether your sink will fit the faucet you want
When to call a pro
Call a plumber if: your shutoff valves don't work and you can't kill the local supply; you have a copper supply line that needs soldering or a galvanized line that's seized; you're switching from a 3-hole to 1-hole faucet and need the sink modified; or the existing faucet is so corroded the mounting nuts won't budge with penetrating oil and heat. Some jobs are 30 minutes for a plumber and three hours of swearing for you.
Keep going
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